Artificial intelligence (AI) has been with Julinda Gllavata throughout her career. From her PhD in image recognition to her work on early driver assistance systems and her entry into the financial sector, the topic never left her: “I realized that 50% of my life was in some way related to AI.” Today, Julinda Gllavata is Head Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence at SIX. More than 15 years ago, during her time in the automotive sector, it was still a major challenge to get people excited about AI, let alone explain to them how it works. At the latest with the launch of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, awareness and enthusiasm has increased dramatically.

Julinda Gllavata emphasizes the central role of data for all  AI use cases: “Without the right data, we can’t use AI.” In the latest episode of our podcast, Julinda Gllavata not only explains promising applications of AI in the financial sector to host Hannah Wise, but also why Mother Teresa would have been delighted by the possibilities of AI. Be it because, despite all the technology, humans are still at work or because, with many small changes, great things can be achieved. True to her motto: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

Florian Schütz emphasizes that science fiction will always remain storytelling, but can certainly make us think about current phenomena. In connection with Snow Crash, for him these include computer viruses or the shift of power from government organizations to private companies. Florian Schütz is the first federal cybersecurity delegate, a position that was created in 2019. In this role, Florian Schütz heads the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and coordinates the national strategy for the protection of Switzerland against cyberrisks.

Under the leadership of the NCSC, the foundations for the establishment of the association Swiss Financial Sector Cybersecurity Centre (Swiss FS-CSC) have been laid. Florian Schütz explains to host Hannah Wise the characteristics and advantages of such a public-private partnership, makes cyberrisks an issue for the board of directors, and, as a bonus, gives useful cybersecurity tips. 

Dr. Mara C. Harvey has 21 years of experience in wealth management at UBS. Her work also led to the publication of the book “Women and Risk: Re-writing the Rule” in 2018. From then on, at the latest, advocating for financial literacy among women and the topic of financial parenting has become an integral part of her life. 

As author, founder and CEO of SmartWayToStart, Mara Harvey seeks to lay the foundations for a secure financial future for children and their parents. Her sixth children’s book has just been published and the world’s first masterclass on financial parenting has gone live. Shelley Zalis is a great inspiration for Mara Harvey because financial parenting also means talking about financial equality.

According to Mara Harvey, you can’t start talking to kids about money early enough. She explains to host Hannah Wise why it’s important for everyone to gain control of their finances. That process needs to start early in order to realize the potential of wealth accumulation over the span of a lifetime. Moreover, in the course of digitalization, it has not become easier to understand the mechanisms of finance.

Sven Siat, Head Connectivity at SIX, is not a die-hard Formula 1 fan. He got to know Valtteri Bottas through the Netflix documentary Formula 1 – Drive to Survive. He was particularly impressed by the down-to-earth nature of the Monegasque by choice. Down-to-earthness is something you don’t really expect in the proverbial racing circus. Typical of Formula 1 is rather the constant drive for improvement, for innovation – and the degree of standardization, especially with regard to automotive technology. 

Sven Siat explains to host Hannah Wise why innovation is both a cause and a consequence of Open Banking, and why norms in the form of standardized interfaces are also important here. 

Adams wrote books on each of these processing steps, volumes that Adrian Perrig devoured as a teen. Now a professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich, Perrig was impressed by the results Adams achieved, and just as impressed with his systematic approach to his work. He nearly became a professional photographer as well, but decided on a career in IT. That decision could turn out to have been a very positive one for all of us. Perrig explains to host Hannah Wise how he is set to make the internet more secure and efficient. Precisely like Ansel Adams, he is introducing innovations to a field thought to have been fully exhausted.   

Sabine Döbeli also reflects on these values. She is CEO of Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF). The association aims to further strengthen Switzerland’s position as a leading voice in the field of sustainable finance, and thus contribute to a sustainable and flourishing economy.

Over the years, sustainable finance has become a mainstream topic. But this was not always the case. Döbeli talks about the early days of SSF, mentions current challenges such as green washing, reporting, incomplete product information, and the flood of new regulations. She also explains to host Hannah Wise why the danger of ESG burn-out lurks ahead. 

In triathlon, you need stamina, a positive mindset and the will to overcome any obstacle. As an ex-triathlete, Alexander Verbeck knows this very well. These qualities also help him as Head Cash Ecosystem in the Banking Services business unit of SIX. As far as the future of ATMs in Switzerland is concerned, perseverance is also required from him and his team. A long-term change is underway.

Swiss people still use cash frequently, but demand has been steadily declining since 2015. Swiss banks currently still operate around 7,000 ATMs. According to a study commissioned by SIX, an ideal distribution of 2,200 would be sufficient to supply the entire country with cash and even improve cash access for the Swiss population across the country. Alexander Verbeck explains to host Hannah Wise how SIX, together with the Swiss financial center, wants to bring this transformation to the finish line. 

Swiss Angela Mygind is attempting something similar with her blog “Miss Finance.” With it, she wants to encourage women to take their financial planning into their own hands. Because when it comes to investing, women have different needs than men –

and they want to understand a financial product in much more detail before they invest.

The financial literacy ambassador explains to host Hannah Wise how she wants to take away women’s fear of investing with her blog – and why it’s so important to just get started.

Christian Bahr recognizes himself in his fellow countryman. The Head Index Services at SIX explains to host Hannah Wise why every detail also matters when it comes to SMI, IBEX 35 and co. and that it is not only these leading indices that are in demand. At the moment, for example, the new ESG indices from SIX are gaining more and more weight in the market.

At the end of the year, the final whistle will sound for the reference interest rate LIBOR. Christian Bahr’s team has long since “substituted” it with the SARON. He talks about the importance of this long-standing project for the Swiss financial center.

Berta Ares explains to host Hannah Wise why Margaret Hamilton can be a role model for more than just her. Technology will change all areas of life, she says. That’s why we need more women in STEM professions, that is, professions where knowledge of science, technology, engineering or mathematics counts. Everyone is called upon to master the challenges of today with technology. As Managing Director at BME Inntech, she tries to do her part for the good of the financial markets and the clients of SIX. For example, her team has developed a roboadvisor and is working intensively on solutions for ESG data – the information on environment, social and governance. Following the acquisition of the Spanish stock exchanges BME, BME Inntech belongs to SIX.

Jürg Müller explains to host Hannah Wise how John Law turned debt into money and how this principle still shapes the financial world today. As co-author of the book The End of Banking, he has extensively studied the “wiring” of the banking world and developed a proposal on how future crashes could be prevented.

She explains to host Hannah Wise what “digital” means for the old economy in particular. She emphasizes openness to FinTechs – and the importance of trust. Today’s technology-based customer journeys are based on trust more than ever. Cryptocurrencies are a case in point. Is this an opportunity for trustworthy companies like SIX?

Andrea Weidemann, the director of the Swiss Finance Museum in the SIX headquarters building, has a flair for entrepreneurial stories like these. She describes to host Hannah Wise how she brings historical securities to life in the first and only finance museum in Switzerland – a country known for its banks – and explains why financial literacy is so important.

The Financial Information business at SIX is in a similar position. Sam Sundera, the Head Future Business in the respective business unit tells host Hannah Wise where SIX, too, has opportunities to make inroads into adjacent sectors, and it, too, can build on its achievements – with  ESG data or historical corporate actions data in the cloud, for example.

His abilities found expression in his conceptualization of “total football”, a system under which any outfield player can adopt the role of any other player. Under this philosophy, defenders, for example, also take over as attackers. SIX CEO Jos Dijsselhof tells host Hannah Wise how he internalized this type of culture in which collaboration is more important than individual talent and how it is lived at SIX.